There are four steps to completing the visual (and to the discussion or thinking that takes place while completing the visual), and each step corresponds to a different box within the model. In the first box, the user defines the term. The next box is for stating the critical attributes or defining characteristics of the term. You may find that students go back and forth between the definition box and the characteristics box as they complete these two steps. This is absolutely normal. In the third and fourth steps, students generate examples and nonexamples of the word, and place these in the corresponding boxes. In this step, students clarify exactly what makes something an example of the term they are studying. Figure 2.2 illustrates this organizer. See the section titled Modified Frayer Model (page 20) for an adapted version of this organizer that includes nonlinguistic images.
Source: Tyson & Peery, 2017.
Figure 2.2: Blank Frayer model.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/literacy for a free reproducible version of this figure.
Jigsaw
Jigsaw is a powerful cooperative learning strategy that Aronson and Patnoe (1997) designed. The jigsaw strategy promotes interdependence among group members. Every student is part of a home group that learns the content and completes the tasks required. Each student is also part of an expert group, which consists of one member from each of the home groups becoming an expert on specific content. That expert will then return to the home group and teach the content to their teammates.
For example, if the groups were learning about William Shakespeare, one member of the home group would become an expert on a specific related topic (for example, his early life, education, dramatic works, or comedic works). Each expert group would meet to discuss and learn its topic, and then members would teach it to their home group members.
Many teachers create a note-taking template or other handouts to guide the work of both the home groups and the expert groups. Jigsaw is a great way to teach large amounts of content quickly and with high engagement. The key is to monitor the groups’ activity closely to ensure they are finding the most important material that you want emphasized.
Kahoot!
Kahoot! (https://getkahoot.com) is a free, game-like, classroom-response tool that engages participants and provides feedback instantly on the screen. It is incredibly engaging for students and adults alike. Teachers can use Kahoot! to build multiple-choice questions for students to access from their computers, laptops, tablets, or phones. This will allow them to assess students’ learning of target words at the end of a minilesson and also periodically check students’ retention of these words. Watching the YouTube video How to Use Kahoot! in the Classroom (Tech in 2, 2014; http://bit.ly/2r86G3Z) is a great way to familiarize yourself with this tool.
Membean
Membean (http://membean.com) offers both free and paid versions. It bills itself as a test preparation and instructional strategy tool. Each word you look up on Membean is broken down into its constituent parts, including roots. This breakdown can help support students in doing word analysis on their own. One of Membean’s most helpful areas is Roots Trees. These Roots Trees show words in one word family, connected by a common root. Each tree has clickable boxes that define the words. Membean’s Word Maps feature is also useful. A student can type any word into the search box and instantly see a concept map of related words, synonyms, and more. The paid version offers self-paced online learning for your students. It provides data to both student and teacher about how many words are being learned.
Modified Frayer Model
The modified Frayer model is an adaptation of the original Frayer model and includes the power of a nonlinguistic image (see figure 2.3). It contains the following components (Tyson & Peery, 2017).
• A definition, synonym, or paraphrase
• The defining characteristics or critical attributes
• The word itself
• Examples
• A visual
• Nonexamples
Before discussing nonexamples, it can be helpful to generate the examples and a visual as students seek to solidify their conceptual understanding. In my personal interactions with students, they report that spending more time on the positives—meaning what the term actually is versus what it is not—is often very fruitful. It is important for students to learn to distinguish what makes something an example versus trying to generate lots of nonexamples. Push them to articulate what the defining features are.
Source: Tyson & Peery, 2017.
Figure 2.3: Modified Frayer model.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/literacy for a free reproducible version of this figure.
Padlet
Padlet (https://padlet.com) is an online space for creating a collaborative, digital poster or visual bulletin board. Users can create sticky notes that can include text, images, links, and videos to place on the board. Padlet is a useful, collaborative tool and can serve many purposes. Teachers can create a large Padlet that students revisit over time, perhaps on Greek or Latin roots or on synonyms for a particular overused word like said. The YouTube video How to Use Padlet in the Classroom (AISLyle, 2015; http://bit.ly/2qCVrNg) is a good introduction to the tool. Vicki Davis, also known as Cool Cat Teacher, offers an excellent, detailed blog post on using Padlet (see Davis, n.d.; www.coolcatteacher.com/how-to-use-padlet-fantastic-tool-teaching).
Pass the Paper
In this strategy, each student has a blank sheet of paper and responds to the teacher’s prompt or question quickly (in one minute or less). Then, time is called, and each student passes his or her paper in the direction the teacher has chosen. The last person in the row, section, or class gets up and runs his or her paper to the first person in the sequence so that every person has a paper at all times. The cycle can be repeated several times. You can shorten the writing or responding time to thirty seconds if pressed for time.
Allow students to write as much or as little as they want—as long as they are on topic. Encourage students who don’t like to write to quickly brainstorm a list of words or a bulleted list. Everything does not have to be in complete sentences. You can collect the papers and create a Padlet (https://padlet.com) or other display—or even a found poem—with some of what the students wrote. You can share this the next day or keep it displayed to continue reminding students of the content.
Plickers
Plickers (https://plickers.com) is a formative assessment tool much like interactive clicker systems, but without physical click devices. Instead, students hold up signs that have visuals that resemble QR codes. Each